Japan Struck by Powerful Earthquake and Tsunami

A ferocious tsunami unleashed by Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast, killing hundreds of people.

Devastation in Japan - On Friday, Japan was rocked by twin disasters – a powerful 8.9 magnitude earthquake and a tsunami. The death toll is expected to surpass 10,000 just in the hard-hit Miyagi Prefecture region alone. In addition, the quake set off explosions at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, resulting 180,000 people having to be evacuated from the local area. The natural disasters also have wreaked havoc on the nation’s economy, with Japan’s stock market taking a nearly 11 percent nosedive Tuesday. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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Devastation in Japan - A powerful tsunami unleashed by Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday, killing hundreds of people as it carried away ships, cars and homes, and triggered widespread fires that burned out of control. In this image, waves of tsunami hit residences after a powerful earthquake in Natori, Miyagi prefecture. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Massive Quake - The 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan sparked a tsunami that moved across the Pacific, triggering warnings as far away as the U.S. west coast. In this image, the tsunami swirls near a port in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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Massive Quake - The 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan sparked a tsunami that moved across the Pacific, triggering warnings as far away as the U.S. west coast. In this image, the tsunami swirls near a port in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

How a Tsunami Gains Force - Graphic shows how tsunami waves attain their destructive force.The offshore quake triggered a 23-foot tsunami and was followed for hours by more than 50 aftershocks, many of them more than magnitude 6.0. In the early hours of Saturday, a magnitude-6.7 earthquake struck the central, mountainous part of the country — far from the original quake's epicenter. (Photo: Associated Press)

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How a Tsunami Gains Force - Graphic shows how tsunami waves attain their destructive force.The offshore quake triggered a 23-foot tsunami and was followed for hours by more than 50 aftershocks, many of them more than magnitude 6.0. In the early hours of Saturday, a magnitude-6.7 earthquake struck the central, mountainous part of the country — far from the original quake's epicenter. (Photo: Associated Press)

Millions Without Electricity - The quake off Japan's northeastern coast shook buildings in the capital, left millions of homes across Japan without electricity, shut down the mobile phone network, and severely disrupted landline telephone service. It brought Tokyo's train system to a halt, choking a daily commuter flow of more than 10 million people. In this image, Sendai Airport is surrounded by waters in Miyagi prefecture, Japan. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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Millions Without Electricity - The quake off Japan's northeastern coast shook buildings in the capital, left millions of homes across Japan without electricity, shut down the mobile phone network, and severely disrupted landline telephone service. It brought Tokyo's train system to a halt, choking a daily commuter flow of more than 10 million people. In this image, Sendai Airport is surrounded by waters in Miyagi prefecture, Japan. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Towns Submerged - Shores are submerged in Natori city, Miyagi prefecture. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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Towns Submerged - Shores are submerged in Natori city, Miyagi prefecture. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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Homes on Fire - Houses are in flames while the Natori river floods the surrounding area after tsunami tidal waves hit Natori city, Miyagi prefecture, in northern Japan.(Photo: AP Photo/Yasushi Kanno, The Yomiuri Shimbun)

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Homes on Fire - Houses are in flames while the Natori river floods the surrounding area after tsunami tidal waves hit Natori city, Miyagi prefecture, in northern Japan.(Photo: AP Photo/Yasushi Kanno, The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Tomakomai pier in Hokkaido is submerged after a ferocious tsunami unleashed by Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coasts. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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Tomakomai pier in Hokkaido is submerged after a ferocious tsunami unleashed by Japan's biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coasts. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Photo By Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News

High Death Toll - Police said 200 to 300 bodies were found in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai, the city in Miyagi prefecture, closest to the epicenter. But authorities said they weren't able to reach the area because of damage to the roads. In this image, people gather outside Sendai station. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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High Death Toll - Police said 200 to 300 bodies were found in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai, the city in Miyagi prefecture, closest to the epicenter. But authorities said they weren't able to reach the area because of damage to the roads. In this image, people gather outside Sendai station. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Submerged Airport - Earthquake-triggered tsunami sweeps the shore as Sendai Airport is surrounded by waters in Miyagi prefecture (state), Japan. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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Submerged Airport - Earthquake-triggered tsunami sweeps the shore as Sendai Airport is surrounded by waters in Miyagi prefecture (state), Japan. (Photo: AP Photo/Kyodo News)

People walk by a ruined bus stop which was crushed by part of the fallen outer wall of a nearby building in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, after one of the largest earthquakes on record slammed Japan's eastern coasts. Photo: (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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People walk by a ruined bus stop which was crushed by part of the fallen outer wall of a nearby building in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, after one of the largest earthquakes on record slammed Japan's eastern coasts. Photo: (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

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Oil Refinery in Flames - In this video image taken from Japan's NHK TV, an oil refinery burns in Ichihara, Chiba prefecture.(Photo: AP PHOTO/NHK TV)

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Oil Refinery in Flames - In this video image taken from Japan's NHK TV, an oil refinery burns in Ichihara, Chiba prefecture.(Photo: AP PHOTO/NHK TV)

U.S. West Coast on High Alert - Hours after the tsunami ravaged Japan, the waves washed ashore on Hawaii and the U.S. west coast, where evacuations were ordered from California to Washington but little damage was reported. The entire Pacific had been put on alert — including coastal areas of South America, Canada and Alaska — but waves were not as bad as expected. In this image, Oahu residents flocked to a supermarket to purchase water and supplies in Honolulu. (Photo: AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

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U.S. West Coast on High Alert - Hours after the tsunami ravaged Japan, the waves washed ashore on Hawaii and the U.S. west coast, where evacuations were ordered from California to Washington but little damage was reported. The entire Pacific had been put on alert — including coastal areas of South America, Canada and Alaska — but waves were not as bad as expected. In this image, Oahu residents flocked to a supermarket to purchase water and supplies in Honolulu. (Photo: AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

A tsunami swept at least five people watching the waves out to sea and ripped docks out of harbors in California, spreading the destruction of a devastating Japanese earthquake to the shores of the United States. Four people were rescued from the water in Oregon, but one man who was taking photos in Northern California was still missing Friday afternoon. Coast Guard helicopters searched for him near the mouth of the Klamath River in Del Norte County, Calif., after his two friends made it back to shore. In this image, fishing boats crash into one another at a boat basin in Crescent City, Calif., as one of a series of tsunami surges slams into the harbor, breaking up docks and tearing loose boats. Photo: (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard)

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A tsunami swept at least five people watching the waves out to sea and ripped docks out of harbors in California, spreading the destruction of a devastating Japanese earthquake to the shores of the United States. Four people were rescued from the water in Oregon, but one man who was taking photos in Northern California was still missing Friday afternoon. Coast Guard helicopters searched for him near the mouth of the Klamath River in Del Norte County, Calif., after his two friends made it back to shore. In this image, fishing boats crash into one another at a boat basin in Crescent City, Calif., as one of a series of tsunami surges slams into the harbor, breaking up docks and tearing loose boats. Photo: (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard)

California on Alert - A tsunami warning is flashed along Highway 17 in the mountains leading to the coastal town of Santa Cruz, California.(Photo: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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California on Alert - A tsunami warning is flashed along Highway 17 in the mountains leading to the coastal town of Santa Cruz, California.(Photo: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Watching the Waves - With a tsunami warning in effect for Northern California, a group of people watch as a wave hits near Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. (Photo: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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Watching the Waves - With a tsunami warning in effect for Northern California, a group of people watch as a wave hits near Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. (Photo: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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Tsunami Preparedness - The American Red Cross has a checklist on tsunami preparedness that is a helpful aid for people who are in high-tsunami-risk areas. In this image, a sign reading "Tsunami Risk Zone" in Spanish stands along the bay of Dichato, Chile.(Photo: AP Photo/Mauro Moreno)

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Tsunami Preparedness - The American Red Cross has a checklist on tsunami preparedness that is a helpful aid for people who are in high-tsunami-risk areas. In this image, a sign reading "Tsunami Risk Zone" in Spanish stands along the bay of Dichato, Chile.(Photo: AP Photo/Mauro Moreno)

How You Can Help - Those who want to help can go to www.redcross.org and donate to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami. People can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.Finding Loved Ones: The best way to contact or locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Japan is to contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or (202) 647-5225. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has offered to assist Japan with restoring family links.(Photo: AP Photo/The Yomiuri Shimbun, Miho Ikeya)

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How You Can Help - Those who want to help can go to www.redcross.org and donate to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami. People can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.Finding Loved Ones: The best way to contact or locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Japan is to contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or (202) 647-5225. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has offered to assist Japan with restoring family links.(Photo: AP Photo/The Yomiuri Shimbun, Miho Ikeya)